After a disastrous start to the UEFA Nations League campaign – where the Vatreni got pummeled by Spain 6-0 and battled out a scoreless draw with England in Rijeka – the team will play their first competitive match in front of Croatian fans since the World Cup wrapped up in Zagreb Thursday night.
Luka Modrić and company welcome a Spanish side coming off a 3-2 home loss to England last month. This Spanish side would top the group with a victory at Maksimir, but it won’t come easy as it will be a homecoming, of sorts.
With this being the first competitive match in front of Croatian fans since the World Cup, the HNS is inviting retired World Cup players Mario Mandžukić, Danijel Subašić and Vedran Ćorluka to join the team before the match for one final farewell. The atmosphere will be nothing short of electric – and with the group still wide open for top spot – a Croatian victory would shake up everything going until Croatia’s final match vs. England on Sunday.
U-21’s Josip Brekalo and Nikola Vlašić have been called up to the senior side for these two matches with their impending future all but locked in. Both have been on fire this season for the Croatian U-21 and club teams alike. Vlasic has been a goal scoring machine for CSKA Moscow while Brekalo has been a pivotal piece in Wolfsburg’s attacking core this season.
Andrej Kramarić and Ante Rebić are both back to full health after being sidelined in September and will play in front of Croatia’s world class midfield. Josip Pivarić has been ruled out with injury and manager Zlatko Dalić has not yet revealed who he will put at left back. Bayer Leverkusen’s Tin Jedvaj may be the best choice against the Spanish attack.
suker
https://www.marca.com/en/football/spanish-football/2018/11/14/5bec879d46163f9a9b8b45b4.html
NY Red Bulls, Nikola has a Croatian mother Portuguese father he is born in South Africa I believe. I read a few years back that he has real potential and a desire to play for Croatia.
@iviva Golic
Kalinic is an idiot and loser.
Who’s is this kid?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.timeslive.co.za/amp/sport/soccer/2018-11-13-bafana-bafana-target-gets-a-call-up-to-croatia-u20s/
Yea, I would rather look at HNL players than to bother calling up mediocre players from average leagues like Milić, Santini, and Livaja.
Guys like Mislav Oršić and this Boćkaj kid are probably better players anyway. All these mediocre caliber guys we keep calling up are just former HNL players who were dropped from their clubs and sent off on free (or super cheap) transfer deals. Doesn’t make them any better just because some Belgian or Greek league team is willing to take a flyer on them for free.
I don’t consider guys like Milić or Čop as better players because they play in better leagues. They were free players, whereas guys like Oršić are not being let go by their HNL teams. They are more valuable (and probably better) despite playing in a weaker HNL.
Apparently Dalic sent N. Kalinic a dozen roses and slivovica as an olive branch. Kalinic refused and said he prefers to drink cappuccinos and watch videos on how to be a man on the bench. He said Atletico pay him more than if he collected welfare on his sofa at home.
I think Dalic either lets Jedvaj play LB or lets Vida play LB and brings in Mitrovic. I highly doubt that he starts Milic. Although, I did think Milic played okay against a weak Jordan last go around.
Yeah, I do not see Milic as a viable option at LB against the likes of Spain and England. Spain will run rings around him with their passing and England will just abuse him with their pace. It’s gotta be Vrsaljko and Jedvaj. Either that or push Vida to RB and bring in Caleta-Car.
@Soul Champ I noticed you said Perisic playing at LB is better than Vrsaljko playing LB. I suppose it could work, but it would basically require either Brekalo, Vlasic, or Pjaca to REALLY step up because Perisic basically runs our attack most games.
With Pivaric now out. I’d consider calling Petar Bockaj. The guy is a beast and plays LW normally for Osijek but he could be a good LB at a better club or for country.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/petar-bockaj/profil/spieler/292666
Milić is a bad player.
If he starts, we won’t be winning this game.
Dalić has been good at picking lineups, but always seems to mess up with one POSITION on the field.
Hopefully this LB doesn’t become a big miss like when he tried Rog at RB.
According to Croatian media, Antonio Milic apparently as LB. I follow him at Anderlecht and he isn’t doing well at all. Basically lost his starting spot in a shit team like Anderlecht.
If you want to play Antonio Milic, use him as a CB. He turns way too slow to play LB.
I’m not saying Pivaric is world class, but he sure is a better LB than Milic.
Lets take out these commie Mexicans.
Spain will definately turn us onto a training video if we dont go for them!!! Love that comment soul champ
Nice to see Halilovic and Coric in the squad.
Vrsaljko is still our best LB option .. after Perišić of course.
He won’t get beat defensively and offensively you just need to rely on Perišić having a big game on that left flank.
Rebić actually plays a #10 like role for on fire Frankfurt.
I like him at the 10 and Kramaric at the finishing 9.
Vlašić and Brekalo are ready right now, I would start one of them v Spain.
Vlašić is in the 10 hole or Brekalo as the 7 on the right wing.
Then Rebić plays either the 10 or 7.
We need to be dynamic at home from the start to jump start the crowd.
Can’t play slow v Spain and definitely can’t jog around.
You have run direct and intentional v Spain or else they turn you into training video.
Mandžukić is a goal scoring machine.
Skip the UNL and then make a triumphant return for Euro qualifying.
He doesn’t play each week for Juve and he can give us 45 minutes of dominance.
Fully understand if he is done, but damn he scores big goals.
I’m curious whether Dalic will start Vlasic. He has been on fire this season and could play that attacking midfield role very well. I personally don’t think he will start as Dalic likes the trio of Modric, Rakitic, and Brozovic to play against the bigger teams.
I definitely think Jedvaj is the best option again Spain seeing as he started against them when we beat them in the Euros, but I think I prefer him at RB and Vrsaljko at LB like someone said in one of the posts about a week or 2 ago.
I’m still trying to decide whether I would rather have Kramaric at ST and Rebic at RW or Rebic at ST and Kramaric at RW. They both offer different skill sets and could switch throughout the game if they are not effective. I know some people might be saying Vlasic or Brekalo on the wing, but I still think Rebic and Kramaric are the best options.
Will the youngeons actually get a game? I hope so! Just got a lovely background on the website with an image of Goran on one side and Marin on the other – hadn’t noticed that before but good 1 🙂